If you’re a midlife woman in perimenopause or menopause doing all the things, eating clean(ish), walking, maybe even lifting weights, skipping the wine, skipping the sugar, being “good” and your body still feels off, there’s a good chance cortisol may be the culprit.

Cortisol, aka your stress and fat storage hormone, is often painted as the villain, but it's actually essential for our survival. It’s your body's main stress response hormone, designed to protect you in the event of danger. The problem is, most of us aren’t being chased by tigers every time we step out the front door. We’re just living modern, high-stress lives with zero recovery time. And that means our cortisol never gets the memo that the “danger” has passed.

Too much of a good thing is never a good thing. When cortisol stays high for too long, it keeps you stuck in your symptoms, in your body, and mind, living in a cycle that no diet, bootcamp, or pill can fix.

Here are 15 signs I see on repeat in the women I work with that are worth noting.

• Weight gain around the middle

• Puffy,flushed face, bloated

• Mood swings

• Memory problems or brain fog

• Anxiousness

• Fatigue, poor sleep (wired but tired)

• Frequent urination

• Irregular periods, fertility struggles

• Gets sick often

• Elevated blood pressure

• Acne/skin issues (even in your 40s, 50s!)

• Muscle, joint pain

• Low libido

• Excessive........

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